GDB 55.0 Wrap Up: Oilers @ Devils

All I really wanted for this game was for the Oilers to not lay a turd on the ice the way they had in Montreal and New York. The bar was pretty low. Would it be nice if they pulled out a win? Yes, of course, but I mostly just didn’t want to be embarrassed to be an Oilers fan — is that too much to ask? I don’t think so. I guess I never understood how the same team that absolutely pumped the Ottawa Senators could also be lit up the next two games. Then again, we’re Oilers fans so finding new and creative ways to be disappointed should never be surprising.

Remember back in the day when Gretzky called the Devils a “Mickey Mouse organization?” It’s hilarious to think about with some hindsight. There hasn’t been a team worse than the Oilers over the past 10 seasons. That’s 10 whole years of “suck(ing) the hind banana” as Pat Quinn once put it. It’s almost impressive! I mean, how haven’t the Oilers ever been accidentally good at anything but the lottery? The tank life is strong, I guess. “Never has a tank been built this sturdy” future generations of Oilers fans will someday say.

Anyways…

As for tonight’s game, the Oilers certainly played better than they did on the weekend. That’s not really saying much and I’m not sure how they could have possibly played worse, but it’s true nevertheless. Frankly, Edmonton rolled into New Jersey with the lines blended and an ability to salvage points on this road trip against a tired Devils team that was playing on back-to-back nights. The Oilers had plenty of chances to take an early lead but they couldn’t cash in on anything. In the end it was the missed opportunities, both at regular strength and on the power play, that cost the Oilers the game.

This was a winnable game against a tired team, but once again the Oilers couldn’t take advantage.

We wrap.

THE BRIGHT SIDE

There is no one better at missing the net than the Edmonton Oilers. Masters of the craft.

He’s fresh into his NHL career but Connor McDavid makes any Oilers game more entertaining. His puck puck pursuit on Jordan’s Eberle’s goal (his 15th) was a thing of beauty. He may have lost the draw but he never lost the puck.

Brandon Davidson continues to impress Todd McLellan as he played a team leading 20:34 tonight. Not only is he a great story, he’s turning out to be a pretty damn good defenseman.

Cam Talbot was much better than he was on the weekend. He made the saves you would expect him to make and he kept the Oilers in it. He finished the night with 24 saves and a .923 save%

They didn’t lose as bad as they did on the weekend?

THE FACE PALMERS

The Oilers had plenty of early chances to score but they could never seem to cash on anything. It’s tough to win games when you only score one goal.

The New Jersey Devils play an insanely boring brand of hockey. Awful to watch. To make matters worse the Devils played last night and the Oilers still couldn’t take advantage.

I don’t know how many times the Oilers tried to break out by floating three guys at centre ice and trying to send through a long pass. That never works. Not now, not ever.

This isn’t a new story, but the Oilers couldn’t get anything done on the power play. They had plenty of chances to take the lead but the PP couldn’t get anything done. Injuries aside, I think the disappearance of the power play (was there ever one?) has cost the Oilers more than a few wins this season. They went 0/3 on the night on the PP.

At least the Oilers keep things consistent by losing both ends of the special teams battle. New Jersey went 2/5 on the power play.

Don’t ever stop partying Gaudreau and Monahan. Fight for your right to do it. I believe in you, brothers.

THE NORTH x NORTHGRETZ PODCAST

Live from the #NationSkiTrip in Jasper! This week the boys are joined by a very special guest, one of the ORIGINAL Oilersnation commenters The Towel Boy! They talk about the return of Connor McDavid, expectations for the rest of the season, how much fun they’re having in Jasper, share some old school Oilersnation memories, and much, much more!

149 Comments |

Does anyone else get tired of hearing how great the goaltenders are playing against the Oilers. Hello, they can’t all be that good…why don’t we just say what it is…we’re that bad. That supposed amazing save today can only be made because the puck wasn’t put where it needed to be…on both the original shot and the rebound. Put the puck up…just a bit, and he can’t make the save.

That’s how hockey goes. Gagner put up 8 points against the Blackhawks the year they won the cup.

A young team like ours will have its ups and downs.

If you compare this year to last year, we’ve getting more consistent. our longest winless streak this year has been 4 games. By this point last year we had gone on an 11 game winless streak and a 9 game winless streak.

We’re bouncing back faster under the new coach but we’re still missing what we need to win. We’re better but still bad.

The other possibility (and the one that I am inclined to agree with) is that the team was absolutely horrible last year. They definitely improved in the second half under Nelson, but that first half was so bad that a near .500 record would do nothing to redeem it.

So they’re better in many ways this year, and we saw a lot of these improvement sans McDavid so it’s not like he’s altering our perception of the rest of the team here.

Right now when you’re on the edge in regards to having all these one goal game losses, to me it signifies a changing tide.

But the holes in the roster and problems of having too many undeveloped players are really exposing themselves and I think Chiarelli has a much better grasp of the team’s issues at this point than when he was hired.

I’m sure McClellan would have wished for more of a spark from the exercise. It didn’t happen.

The Drai line didn’t do much, until Purcell was kind of reinstated.

Hall has to settle down and stop trying to overly control things. He commands the puck too much and then runs it into dead end positions. Drai has to assert himself more and be less intimidated by Hall.

This absolutely kills the Oilers on the powerplay. At even strength this drive creates scoring opportunities regardless of line mates, on the powerplay more often than not it leads to the Oilers losing the puck.

I’m not sure if others will agree with this but watching the game last night, one of the few players that caught my attention was Yakupov. He seemed to be always buzzing in the offensive zone and got off some good shots on net. I hope he eventually finds a spot on the McDavid line just to see if those two can capitalize as they did pre McDavid injury.

Yes, I agree with you. When he was first drafted, I loved his enthusiasm and positive attitude. He certainly hasn’t showed the offensive finish and two way play that would have taken him to the next level.

At the same time, if Yakupov can get on a scoring streak with McDavid, that would free up Eberle, who has greater finishing ability, to play with the Hall line. A win-win, I would think.

Remember when Chiarelli was supposed to bring this savvy veteran GM experience and MacLellan was an elite coach? That was a good one.

I’d love to see ON do a comparison between the Oilers under Nelson and MacLellan. I’m not seeing any significant improvement by the Oilers. McDavid and Drai have been great, but otherwise I think the Nelson-led team was better.

And if PC wasn’t going to do anything, why did they remove MacT? He was good for nothing, but at least there were no expectations he’d do anything remotely useful.

Chiarelli is bringing the veteran GM experience. He’s not saying our young players have Norris potential, he’s not throwing our goalie under the bus and he’s just doing his job. He’s a Harvard grad who was captain of the Harvard team for a reason.

Coaching can only do so much. Babcock isn’t gonna make Toronto into a contender but he can get them to play the right way for when they do have the players to win.

Nelson: 17-25-9 .422 win%

Mclellan: 21-28-5 .435 win%

I liked Nelson but I’d still go with Mclellan.

Do you really want Mac-t running things or a GM who is actually respected around the league?

I think the frustration comes from watching trades come and go while we miss out on parts we need.

I have zero doubt PC is trying, but maybe it is time to start losing points on value to get what we need.

We aren’t far off on how we think, but I just want to see more aggressive moves happen at the expense of loss of initial value.

There is a point where I can only eat the world’s best steak for so long before I need to realize I can’t live off steak, and need to trade my high valued steak, for lower valued veggies so I can survive and thrive.

The organization is a reflection of the ownership. The Oilers Owners Group just barely kept the team in Edmonton. Lousy hockey is better than no hockey. We got (and still get) lousy hockey. 10 years and counting.

Katz is a businessman. He bought the club and has seen the franchise value more than double from $200 M to over $400 M. Its the only big league game in town and he’s selling all the tickets he can. He has also played the gov’t ( muni, prov and fed) into picking up most of the tab for the new rink. Good business. For him.

He doesn’t even live in Edmonton or watch any games live. See you for the home opener next Oct Mr Katz.

I play the game for the exercise; I enjoy a good skate and making the occasional play. For the price of two top notch Oilers tickets including food, bev and parking I play for the whole season. 59 GP 33 54 87 in 2014-15. The rare ticket I get (not buy) I enjoy the show of a good skate and occasional good play. Sometimes even by Oilers players.

If Ottawa and Toronto can pull off a massive trade… Could Edmonton and Calgary put their rivalry aside,for say a RNH for Hamilton swap? Seems like a pretty sweet deal to me,and Chiarelli gets the player he wanted from day one. What say you Oilers fans?

While on the topic of Edmonton and Calgary… Could Brandon Davidson turn I to our very own Mark Girodano in a few years? That would be pretty sweet,for a change.

It seems that if Hall,McDavid,and Eberle don’t score, not much else happens.

Tired of watching all these loafers and floaters going through the motions pretending they are putting out and playing the game.

CAn you not take the dam puck and go to the net, instead of dilly dalling along the boards playing hot potatoe with the puck all game long.These guys are dumb and lazy on top of it.
I am referring to everyone , not named above.

PS… Gryba and Davidson played a solid game.
Fayne and Nurse on the ice for both Devils goals.
Talbot lets in the usual glove side over the shoulder goal. One every game.

Schneider shut down the young guns.
When Schneider was made available by the Canucks the Oilers balkes at paying a premium for an inside the division trade. Instead they have cycled through Dubnyk, Bryzgalov, Scrivens, Fasth, etc, etc.

The rumored ask from the Oilers was the first round pick plus a pick and prospect. Don’t you think the Oilers would trade that first (Nurse), second (yakimov, Marco Roy), and marincin (gryba) for Schneider right now? Maybe not. They wouldn’t have Mcdavid had they done that trade. I guess MacT is a genius.

The final score 2 – 1 for those Devils. The Oiler Defense was VERY impressive for the last 90 seconds. With the goalie pulled and playing 6 on 5 the Oilers totally PREVENTED the Devils from making the score 3 – 1. A few Oiler goals may have assisted?

Everyone thinks that if we get a true number one. Let’s just say we ended up getting doughty and kept the same roster, I tell you we would win a lot more games but we would definitely not be Stanley Cup worthy our deficiencies are way more than just defence.

It’s most people say the best defence is a great offence our offence is great off the rush, but man they can’t hold a forecheck for more than a minute. It’s constant pressure in our zone, because we can’t hold it in the offensive Zone.

Which is why we can’t hold a damn lead. Is because we don’t have pressure in the offensive zone.

Which is why I’ll say it again.
Peter Chiarelli had ALOT of work.

I’m kinda stoked to have him at the helm with all this cap space at the end of the season.
New arena. It’s going to be a crazy off season. That is if Peter is who everyone says he is.

Just need to keep saying it man. I think there is more power to the frustration than we think. If there weren’t billboards calling for Lowe to be fired, I seriously can’t imagine him being shuffled. Obviously it was a token move, but the heat needs to stay on to help things eventually change.

I wouldn’t doubt if a lowe and or Mact retirement is announced at the end of this year to help spark promotion for next year.

Something needs to happen every year to give hope for the next, and if they start worrying that people aren’t coming through on their full payments for next year’s seats, the ultimate reserve move is to make those announcements.

This team thrives on hope, so don’t mistake the value of moves like that. They know what they are doing when they drag us through the mud, then make moves to give us hope again.

This team is masterful at stringing us along until they release hope like a hit of crack to calm us all down.

What the hell are you talking about? How is it even possible for you to be that dumb? You think Katz cares that a few people put up a billboard? The building is SOLD OUT every game! The advertisers don’t care who wins as long as people see the advertising.

And you think people are going to give up their seats in the brand new building? Even if a few of them do, there is a waiting list a mile long to fill those seats. If you want to complain that we are the worst run franchise in pro sports go right ahead. That’s fair. But the idiotic things that come out of your mouth are just embarrassing. The team is not stringing you along and selling you hope. The team is what it is. You are choosing to believe there is more hope than there actually is and then it’s a let down. Stop whining and complaining about the management duping you. The management sucked for years and it’s their fault we are crap. But it’s not their fault you are an idiot…that’s on you.

Thus far, MacT = Tambi = Chia. No progress. Austin Matthews, here we come #infinibuild. Sorry Chia, but you don’t get a free pass from me. Just because your predecessors butt fumbled everything doesn’t mean you’re not accountable. Korpikoski, Letestu, Reinhart, Sekera have all underachieved. Good trade for Kassian but the top 4 D was not addressed. Do something!!

The performance of Chiarelli’s additions this season is a reason to fire him on that basis alone. When he acquired Korpikoski in the off-season I recall he said he liked his game. Reason one. Mark Letestu, reason 2. Sekara, to long a term for too mucho dinaro for a 4 th D. is very ineffective, pick the category. Reson 3. Reinhart, he panicked and overpaid for a player who might work out some day but not here.

Cam Talbot is a #1 maybe, eventually. Right now he is iffy.

Thanks for dropping by Petie. Apparently Jeremy Jacobs and Cam Neely were right.

Trading Hall is a bad idea. I get he is “supposedly” a cancer in the room but there is no replacement for him if the oilers trade him. The guy is still young an puts up points. The older he gets and the more experience he gets will calm his demeanor.

But but but, do we all want to wait and see how this current team gels or be drastic and make a move. This is what we have all been talking about this year. This teams top 6 is still very young and in experienced. I’ll re-iterate….TOP SIX.

If you can’t beat a team that has “suitcase Stepniak,and Blandisi on their first lines, you know you have dropped a long way down the tunnel .

I know the D-men aren’t exactly eyeing the Norris trophy case, but come one with all these No. 1 picks and we cant score more than one goal most games.

Don’t get me started on the power play.What the frig is Letestu doing on the power play and MCDavid is on the bench. Its been months since Letstue won a face on the power play, and he cant win puck battles on the boards to get the puck to someone who can score.
McLellan wake up. Woodcroft got his head where the sun don’t shine.

Not really. First of all, you chose one sentence from the comment which is taking things out of context. We’re a team that isn’t built to win plus we’ve dealt with so many injuries that we have to look closer to see the teams improvement.

Its easier to be like “duhhh 30th place. no improvement”

My guess for this year was that if things clicked in a lot of areas, we could be just outside the playoffs.

If someone said we’d have the most man games lost to injury and the players hurt we’re our best players, I’d have guessed around 30th.

I did not watch the game, as promised.
But… I am kind of curious: what happened???
The Oilers have Hall, Ebs, McD, Drai, Yak,Nurse, Pou….
RNH and Klef in the shelves…. All these “untradeables ”

Who do the Devils have that compares to the above?

Adam Henrique is quite alright, but who else?

The Devils have 14 points more than the Oil…. 14…. No excuses about east, our injuries, etc…. That is a huge difference considering our line up, packed with “stars” and theirs packed with Henrique .,,.

A summer isn’t going to be enough. Trade Hall and Eberle and start fixing this mess. It’s time. Since Taylor Hall was drafted we haven’t been above 23rd, that’s 6 years of bottom feeders, this recipe isn’t working .

I don’t disagree with you on them needing defenceman that can be mobile and move the puck. But that said, they were playing the Devils..as soon as they get a lead they start trapping because they can’t score more than 2 goals a game.

You’ll notice I said that I didn’t disagree with you. The Oilers are a bad hockey team in a lot of different ways. Specifically last night, they played a team that was trapping and that’s why they were dumping and chasing all night after they went down a goal.

I feel this team needs an established veteran leader. Who that is and if he’s available is beyond my pay grade.If we could acquire one it would bring clarity,discipline,encouragement and desperately ground this team in times of turmoil IMO.

What do you think Messier, Jason Smith, Doug Weight would say to this current roster? I know 100% there would be more accountability team wide. Can you remember when the last time the Oilers had a players only meeting? I think it’s been many years, kinda validates my point.Hell even signing Jagr for a year may entice our young bucks to pull up their socks and suck it up!

I know in the past Katz has hired motivational speakers and done other things to get this group going. I really hope we have a true leader emerge sooner than later. Regardless, Chiarelli and staff need to figure this out, for it runs a lot deeper than just getting a #1 D-Man.

Jagr wanted to play with Hemsky when he came back to the NHL. Heard an interview with Jagr’s agent. He said he talked to Mac-T , and Mac-t said he was to old to help us. Mac-T, the gift that keeps on giving.

Oiler fans, more specifically Hall apologists, please enlighten me as to why you are so reluctant to trade hall? The team is 30th with him, not like we can be any worse. In fact the only two scenarios are we stay the same without him (ie 30th place) or we get better. The oilers have scored 137 goals this season, Calgary and their bum forwards (remember our forwards all supposedly superstars) have scored 139 and Dallas for context has 176. So again I ask why not trade hall? Why not try and improve the team? Fact is we have never won anything with him, so why not try without him.
Everyday I lose more faith in chia – I think he sold the oilers magic beans.

It amazes me the lengths that the Hall Legion will go and the straws they will grasp at to defend their golden child.

They won’t admit to one of his flaws. They’ll attack and blame anything and everything to protect him.

How many #@$*ing leaders and veterans should they bring in or should have brought? It doesn’t matter, Hall feels he is better and knows better than anyone. How many closed doors meeting has this core had since they were brought in? They should have closed door games so we don’t have to judge them on these actions and efforts, it would make the Legion a lot happier.

So far people on here have hated on and put down; Jack Michaels, Stauffer, Drew Remenda, Katz, Lowe, McTavish, Bob Green, Chiarelli, and most of if not all of the Oiler Players.

Let’s get real here folks – this coaching staff is a complete and utter failure. Ya Ya I know – we gotta stop this revolving door of coaches. It’s time we have some stability. Blah Blah Blah. That might have made some sense after game 20.

Todd McLellan has been out coached in nearly every single game so far this year. He’s been out coached by rookie coaches, second year coaches, by coaches who were his assistants at the World Championship, and he has been humiliated by Dave Tippet, Hitchcock, Sutter and many others.

He has 4 highly skilled offensive first overall picks (one of whom is in the top ten in league scoring), magic hands Eberle who WAS famous for scoring big goals, a point per game highly skilled big center in Draisaitl, a capable winger in Pouliot, a MUCH better goal tender than anything this team has seen for years, a surprisingly able young defense man in Davidson, a supposedly highly skilled offensively gifted rugged defense man in Nurse, a warrior and face off winner in Hendricks, a recently obtained skilled rugged sh#t disturbing winger who can fight or score in Kassian, a rugged defenseman who will drop the gloves in Gryba, a skilled reliable defense man in Sekera and THE BEST PLAYER TO COME ALONG IN 30 YEARS and he can’t come up with a game plan to win a game once in a while?

Everyone on this team has regressed except Hall – even McDavid has regressed since he’s come back. The first couple games after McDavid came back the power play was spectacular and nearly unstoppable. Now – nothing. Why? Over coaching. Nagging on players. No system. A humiliating power play. Blaming everyone but himself and his completely inept assistants.

He has the fan base and maybe even management believing that the team is better because the games are closer. We are to believe that all these one goal games means we are better because supposedly we are in every game. Losing by one goal is still losing folks. Losing one goal games is the sign of a BADLY COACHED TEAM that can’t score when needed – not a reason to believe they are getting better.

Todd McLellan is a huge failure and so are his inept assistants. If he cannot change his coaching style or adapt it to suit this team he must be replaced – and the sooner the better.

McLellan may be a good coach on a different team. But there is no question whatsoever he has failed with this team. This humiliating season is all on him. He has misused the talent and drained the confidence of every player on the team and now it’s even affecting McDavid.

The Oilers will keep losing until Management has a coach that is SUITED FOR THIS TEAM instead of hiring smooth talking Dictator type know it all coaches (see Eakins) that believe they can force the team to be suited to them. Talk is cheap folks. Check the standings… http://www.tsn.ca/nhl/standings#/league

Too many guys that won’t leave their comfort zone to do the little things that will help you win. Is it because they aren’t comfortable doing it, don’t want to do it or maybe they just can’t do it.

Optional skates where core guys don’t bother showing up even though there are numerous things that can be worked on. Guys who during the game are world beaters one shift and then the next three couldn’t be bothered to help a teammate out in the corner or in a scrum. Too many guys who don’t think it’s their job so don’t bother going to do it.

Talent on this team is incredible, it’s too bad the hearts of the same talented guys aren’t as big.